Ksnip is a Qt screenshot tool with annotation controls, but the best installation path depends on how your distribution delivers desktop apps. Use your distribution repository when it has Ksnip, then choose Flatpak, Snap, or the upstream AppImage when you need a different packaging route.
Choose the Ksnip package that fits your system
| Package route | Use it when | Install command or action |
|---|---|---|
| Distribution repository | Your distribution already packages Ksnip | Use its native package manager |
| Flatpak | You have Flathub configured and want the org.ksnip.ksnip package | flatpak install flathub org.ksnip.ksnip |
| Snap | You use snapd and accept the channel status shown in the Snap Store | sudo snap install ksnip |
| AppImage | You want the upstream portable file without a system-wide install | Download the x86_64 AppImage from the Ksnip releases page |
Start with the repository route because your package manager can track updates and dependencies. Ksnip is available in Debian 13’s repository, and Arch Linux lists it in Extra.
Install Ksnip with APT on Debian and Ubuntu
On Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and related distributions, refresh package information if your system has not done so recently, then install Ksnip.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ksnip
I checked the Debian 13 package resolution with an APT simulation, which selected Ksnip 1.10.1+git20240308-1 and the required Qt and annotation libraries without installing or launching the graphical app.
Launch Ksnip from your desktop’s app launcher after the install. If you use a Wayland session, test the capture mode you need before making it part of a documentation workflow because Debian describes GNOME and KDE Wayland support as experimental.
Install Ksnip on Arch Linux
Arch Linux distributes Ksnip through the Extra repository. Install it with Pacman, then open it from your desktop environment.
sudo pacman -S ksnip
The Arch package page lists Ksnip 1.10.1-6 for x86_64. Your enabled repositories determine the version that Pacman resolves.
Install Ksnip with Flatpak
Flathub publishes Ksnip as org.ksnip.ksnip. This route needs Flatpak and the Flathub remote configured on your system.
flatpak install flathub org.ksnip.ksnip
flatpak run org.ksnip.ksnip
The Flathub listing names support for X11, Plasma Wayland, GNOME Wayland, and xdg-desktop-portal Wayland. That support statement does not replace testing your own compositor, permissions, and capture target.
Install Ksnip with Snap
If snapd is already part of your system, install the stable channel with the following command.
sudo snap install ksnip
The Snap Store currently labels its latest stable channel as 1.10.1 and warns that the channel has not been updated in a while. Check that notice before choosing Snap for a new setup.
Run the upstream AppImage
Download the x86_64 AppImage from the upstream Ksnip releases page, change to the directory that contains it, then make the downloaded file executable.
chmod +x ksnip-*.AppImage
./ksnip-*.AppImage
The upstream release endpoint identifies v1.10.1 and includes an x86_64 AppImage asset. Use the release page rather than copying a versioned filename so the command matches the file you download.
Check that Ksnip is ready
Open Ksnip, choose a rectangular-area capture, and confirm that the annotation editor appears after you take the screenshot because desktop capture can depend on the active display server and portal permissions.
If capture does not work under Wayland, check the package route and your desktop’s portal configuration before trying another image editor. Verify the package source for your system through Ksnip’s upstream repository, Flathub listing, Snap Store page, or distribution package page.